Beautiful Girl
by Star Fata
Summary: Beauty isn't all it's supposed to be. The thoughts of Helen of Troy- and her reincarnation, Piper McLean. On beauty and on family.
1. Helen

Helen Piper

Helen hated her life, at times. Especially when she was growing up in Sparta, with her three siblings. Castor and Pollux were allowed free reign, while she and Clytemnestra were kept within stone walls, so as to keep safe from the monster's that hunted the children of Zeus

Clytemnestra, as much as she loved her sister, was obedient to a fault. The mortal daughter of Leda was relatively happy with their sheltered existence, and didn't understand why Helen stared at the gates so mournfully.

"Sister, why do you wish to leave? We are safe here, the guards will take care of the monsters." Nestra often asked.

Helen simply shook her head. Not even her sister understood her.

Thankfully for her, their twin brothers did. Hidden from the watchful eyes of their parents, Castor and Pollux secretly taught her to use a knife, the sort easily worn as an ornament. They sympathized with the caged daughter of Zeus, and promised to do their best to minimize the consequences of her heritage.

This distressed the young beauty. "No, that's not what I want." Helen cried out. "I wish to deal with the consequences for myself. I am a daughter of Zeus, I can fight!"

Castor, always the more solemn of the two, gazed at her. "Father will never allow such a thing. Nor will any husband you marry. We love you sister, but the reality is that you are the most beautiful princess in any land we know. It makes you valuable, and vulnerable in ways I hope you will never know."

Pollux nodded. "We will protect you as much as we are able, because you are our sister, and we wish you safe. Clytemnestra and I are mortal, so we do not draw the monsters as you and Castor. I fight them because it is my duty, both as a prince of Sparta and as a brother. She is safe from their notice, except in her role as royalty, but she is eclipsed from the worst of attention by us. She will not need us as you will."

Helen felt tears come to her eyes. He still did not understand. She felt a hand, roughened from sword work, rest on her shoulder. Looking up, her eyes met those of her brother Castor.

"I know it is difficult Cygnet." He said; his voice soft. "But this is the best we can do for you. I wish we could set you free, so that you would roam as free as the air our immortal father commands, but even he could not grant such a thing."

Helen bit her lip and closed her eyes against the tears that wished to fall. If only she wasn't so beautiful, that she could never be anything else. If only someone would look at her and see something other than beauty. If only she could have a say in her own life. If only if only….

Years later, these idle wishes would come true, leading to the destruction of Troy.


	2. Piper

Piper McLean has always loved the stars, a love that has only increased since she read the Greek 'myths' behind the constellations.

She has her favourites, as most do. For some reason, she loved the tale behind Gemini the best, for the brothers who were able to alternate between Olympus and Hades after their deaths. She's felt lonely all her life, and wanted siblings from the day she understood what the word meant. She wanted two brothers, like Castor and Pollux, who'd always be together to protect her and play with her.

The tale of the Dioscuri fascinated her, naturally, and Gemini was the first constellation she ever learned to spot in the sky.

Of course, one couldn't study the twins without at least stumbling across their sisters, Clytemnestra and the infamous Helen of Troy. Clytemnestra had a smaller role in history than her siblings, but the role she did have endeared her to Piper. A mother who mourned her daughter? A welcome change in Greek Mythology.

This just left Helen. Who Piper couldn't love, despite the infamous story of the Trojan Horse. What was so great about being beautiful? And was love really worth leaving behind a nine year old daughter? Was that the reasoning _her _mother had left her by?

Finding out that Katoptris belonged to Helen of Troy had hit her hard. Of all the people it could have belonged to, it was a useless daughter of Zeus? The demigod whose choices lead to a long and bloody war, which killed both her brothers and thousands of her countrymen? A woman who'd used a dagger as a looking glass? Never mind it was a symbol of wealth and power, it was a _weapon_. She was a _demigod_. The idea that she'd just lounged around and let soldiers (or her brothers more likely) deal with the consequences of that heritage disgusted Piper.

As for beauty… It annoys her sometimes, that she is beautiful. On the one hand, she likes that she is attractive, that boys (such as Jason) find her attractive. On the other hand, beauty is worthless on its own. Being beautiful means you're never allowed to be anything more. The day she'd received Aphrodite's blessing, she'd nearly been ill. No matter what she'd done, she had been beautiful. And everyone had acted like… now she was pretty, her existence had been validated. That hey, what more did she need? A personality? A heart? A working brain? All that mattered was that she was a pretty face.

If she hadn't been so terrified for her father, she'd have hated them for it. She still can't describe how grateful she was when Jason had checked on her, treating her exactly the same way as he had since he'd woken on the bus. She didn't know what she'd have done if he'd been as shallow as some of the campers.

When she'd finally had a chance to speak to Leo about it, they'd been sitting by the lake after a long day of camp, finally trading stories about those first few terrifying days.

"I didn't see you after I was claimed." She'd mentioned, as casually as she could.

"Yeah, I was kind of freaked about my job for the night." Leo said, before shrugging off the memories and grinning at her. "But if I'd ever had any doubts about the demi-god thing, I knew the Gods were alive, and occasionally granting miracles the second I saw _you_ wearing make up." He laughed slightly. "Don't get me wrong, you're pretty without it Beauty Queen. I just figured it'd take a wedding or something to make you gussy up."

Piper had frozen where she sat, staring at the fire-started. That was his only thought on the subject? Not, 'hey you should dress up more often', or 'you looked nicer then'?

"Did you just say gussy up?" She eventually said, her voice blank.

Leo huffed. "Nope."

Piper couldn't help it- she'd laughed.

Later on, when she did eventually stop laughing, her eyes fell on two stars in the sky. She smiled at them, no longer feeling so lonely. She'd found one of the brothers she'd always wanted, not in one of her cabin mates, but in Leo Valdez. Her best friend ever since they'd both showed up that first day of Wilderness School, who may not be as strong or as tough as the Dioscuri, but would protect her and hang out with her all the same.

When she tells Leo this, he smiles brightly, and points out that they're technically step-siblings, and he'd always wanted a sister who could beat him up.

Grinning, she tackles him into the water. She's a good sister after all...


End file.
